By Leonardo Micua

 

THE recent assurance from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 1 Director Rommel Tan that there are no ghost projects or substandard flood control initiatives in the region is a welcome relief.

Coming from the very agency tasked with implementing all national government-funded infrastructure projects in Region 1, such a declaration carries weight.

Tan, after all, was essentially putting his name and position on the line.

This pronouncement should have put to rest suspicions about why floods continue to plague areas like Dagupan. After all, it wasn’t just Pangasinan or Region 1 that suffered inundation recently—almost the entire Luzon and parts of the Visayas bore the brunt of relentless rains and swelling rivers.

To pin the blame solely on local infrastructure failures is not only misguided but also conveniently political. Yet, it seems that some politicians can’t resist the opportunity to turn a natural disaster into a political weapon.

Take for instance, Councilor Dada Reyna—the lone opposition voice in the Dagupan City Council—who is now practically calling for a probe into the city’s flood control projects. She claims that these projects have miserably failed over the years. But one can’t help but question the sincerity behind her move.

With no concrete evidence of project anomalies and with clear knowledge that these projects are under the jurisdiction of the DPWH (not the local government), her call appears more like political grandstanding.

It’s no secret that the council is dominated by the so-called “Super Majority,” a bloc of 11 allies of incumbent Mayor Belen Fernandez. Reyna, as the sole opposition figure, faces an uphill battle in pushing any motion—particularly one that seeks to embarrass the majority.

Without a second to her motion, any investigation she proposes will be dead on the water, so to speak. Surely, she knows this, being the former floor leader of the city council from 2022 to 2025.

Her real motive, it seems, is not to get answers but to “steal the limelight” from a united council.

Ironically, if the council were to entertain her call for an investigation, it might lead to revelations that do not reflect well on Reyna and her political allies.

Remember the time when the then-majority bloc, of which she was a part, blocked the passage of the 2023 annual budget and filed a suit before the Court of Appeals that questioned the passage of the 2025  annual budget?

Those annual budgets included critical projects aimed at mitigating flood-like road elevations and expanding drainage systems.

Moreover, an open probe could shed light on issues like the alleged illegal encroachment of the Pantal River by a massive warehouse, a hospital, a maritime school and a hotel. Locals have long pointed to these obstructions as among the key reasons floodwaters overflow into nearby communities.

And who reportedly owns that warehouse? No less than a political colleague of Reyna herself.

While it is true that political checks and balances are healthy in a democracy, they should be rooted in genuine public service, not political theatrics. The people of Dagupan deserve leaders focused on real solutions, not those who use calamities as stepping stones for personal ambition.

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With the La Niña phenomenon officially underway, it is not too late for the contractor handling the elevation of Rioferio Road—right beside the Universidad de Dagupan—to act with urgency and compassion.

Immediate action is needed: the middle portion of the road should be backfilled now, even before the full completion of the drainage system on both sides.

Every heavy rain and high tide turns the area into a waterlogged hazard. I have personally witnessed residents, including students living in nearby boarding houses, wading through murky, knee-deep floodwaters just to reach school or work. It’s a heartbreaking sight.

Currently, the contractor is working at a slow pace, completing only one side of the drainage canal. But with more rains expected due to La Niña, the flooding will only worsen, especially for those living at the western end of Rioferio Street, where the water tends to collect.

Mayor Belen Fernandez must step in and instruct the contractor to consider the daily suffering of the people, not just the engineering timeline or profits.

This is not just about finishing a road—it’s about restoring dignity and safety to those who have to live with the consequences of delays. Let us not forget: people must always come first.

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